servieren
to serve
To bring food or drinks to the table and offer them to guests.
EXAMPLE
Der Kellner servierte uns die Getränke und nahm die Essensbestellung auf.
The waiter served us the drinks and took the food order.
servieren
to serve
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Meanings
servieren
to serve
In certain ball sports (e.g., tennis, volleyball), to put the ball into play; to make a serve.
EXAMPLE
Sie servierte den Ball mit so viel Effet, dass ihre Gegnerin ihn nicht erreichen konnte.
She served the ball with so much spin that her opponent couldn't reach it.
servieren
to deliver
To present or communicate something unpleasant to someone in a particular way.
EXAMPLE
Er servierte ihr die Kündigung mit einem Lächeln auf den Lippen.
He delivered the termination notice to her with a smile on his face.
Usage tips
Dative and accusative object
'Servieren' (to serve) is often used with two objects: the person to whom something is given is in the dative, and the thing that is given is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Der Kellner serviert dem Gast den Wein.
The waiter serves the guest the wine.
Typical collocations
In the context of food and drink, 'servieren' (to serve) is often combined with adverbs that describe the manner of preparation, e.g., warm, cold, fresh, or with a particular side dish.
EXAMPLE
Der Fisch wird mit Salzkartoffeln serviert.
The fish is served with boiled potatoes.
Context clue: sports
When 'servieren' (to serve) is used in a sports context, it always means to put the ball into play (serve). You can recognize this meaning from words like 'Ball' (ball), 'Tennis' (tennis), or 'Volleyball' (volleyball).
EXAMPLE
Im Tennis ist es ein großer Vorteil, gut servieren zu können.
In tennis, being able to serve well is a big advantage.
Figurative use
In the figurative meaning, 'servieren' (to deliver/serve) is usually used with unpleasant, abstract nouns. It describes how someone conveys a negative message or decision.
EXAMPLE
Eiskalt servierte sie ihm die Nachricht, dass sie ihn verlassen würde.
Coldly, she delivered the news to him that she would leave him.
Compare with
servieren vs anbieten
to offer
When a waiter brings food or drinks to a guest, both words can fit. Anbieten emphasizes that the guest can choose or accept something, while servieren highlights bringing it and setting it out at the table. Use anbieten for the possibility of choosing and servieren for the process at the table.
servieren
Der Kellner serviert uns das bestellte Dessert am Tisch.
The waiter serves us the dessert we ordered at the table.
anbieten
Der Kellner bietet uns drei verschiedene Desserts an.
The waiter offers us three different desserts.
In real life
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